View Full Version : E46 330 5sp. MTF
The OEM BMW MTF-LT-2 seems to be the recommended replacement juice for my tranny... and in searches I see both warnings and praise with regard to Redline fluid, as well as a handful of Royal Purple recommendations.
Has anything changed? Anyone have any thoughts on this?
TIA.
Nick M3
11-20-2005, 10:25 AM
LT2 or bust.
I used redline in the 330 and liked it a lot.
Nick M3
11-21-2005, 01:15 PM
Don't touch redline if you're ever planning to do any high speed runs again.
Don't touch redline if you're ever planning to do any high speed runs again.
Then why's it called "redline" ? :dunno:
:mad2:
operknockity
11-21-2005, 01:33 PM
Don't touch redline if you're ever planning to do any high speed runs again.A lot of the SoCal'ers that track their cars a lot use Red Line and do not seem to have had any problems.
Yeah, I heard that a lot before I used it, too. But I don't know anyone that has had a problem with it. I know of one case that was catastrophic, but it was one data point. I was happy with it, the transmission shifted more smoothly with it, at least for awhile, and I never had any problems with it in high performance driving schools. But I didn't drive the car at 150 miles an hour for three hours straight. :dunno:
It may have problems, but it can't be as bad as the anti-redline crowd wants you to believe or the company wouldn't exist anymore.
Nick M3
11-21-2005, 01:34 PM
Then why's it called "redline" ? :dunno:
:mad2:
Don't know, but a certain forum member here discovered that it can't take high speed driving without burning up. There's also a long history of redline destroying getrag trannies. I believe said member had a ZF.
(He's elected not to post this publicly, so I will not give out his name.)
Then why's it called "redline" ? :dunno:
:mad2:
Because it makes any RPM the effective redline? :lol:
Nick M3
11-21-2005, 01:36 PM
Yeah, I heard that a lot before I used it, too. But I don't know anyone that has had a problem with it. I know of one case that was catastrophic, but it was one data point. I was happy with it, the transmission shifted more smoothly with it, at least for awhile, and I never had any problems with it in high performance driving schools. But I didn't drive the car at 150 miles an hour for three hours straight. :dunno:
It may have problems, but it can't be as bad as the anti-redline crowd wants you to believe or the company wouldn't exist anymore.
*shrug* In my personal experience, it made the synchros in my 325 crunchy unless I changed it every 1-2 weeks.
When MTF-LT2 works so incredibly well, I just can't see any reason why you should touch redline.
What, you don't think 1 - 2 weeks is a reasonable change interval?
Nick M3
11-21-2005, 01:38 PM
What, you don't think 1 - 2 weeks is a reasonable change interval?
I'm too lazy.
I'm too lazy.
:lol:
Come to think of it, why are you doing this Plaz? Isn't the transmission fluid on your car rated "lifetime?"
rumatt
11-21-2005, 01:41 PM
What, you don't think 1 - 2 weeks is a reasonable change interval?
Sometimes he goes up to a week before changing his tires too.
Gross.
:lol:
Come to think of it, why are you doing this Plaz? Isn't the transmission fluid on your car rated "lifetime?"
Supposedly. But I figure 75K miles is lifetime enough.
Plus, I'm noticing in the cold (noticed it last winter, too) that until the tranny warms up, the shifter doesn't center when taking it out of fifth... it just kind of hangs there, under 5th. Once it's warmed up, it behaves normally.
I have no idea whether fresh fluid will treat that problem, but I figured it couldn't hurt.
operknockity
11-21-2005, 04:31 PM
So what is the opinion on Royal Purple???
Nick M3
11-21-2005, 04:32 PM
So what is the opinion on Royal Purple???
I haven't really heard anythign bad about it.
The generic comment is that it thins out at high temps, but no one ever seems to have any actual issues.
Supposedly. But I figure 75K miles is lifetime enough.
Plus, I'm noticing in the cold (noticed it last winter, too) that until the tranny warms up, the shifter doesn't center when taking it out of fifth... it just kind of hangs there, under 5th. Once it's warmed up, it behaves normally.
I have no idea whether fresh fluid will treat that problem, but I figured it couldn't hurt.
Oh, yeah. That's a problem that I had on my E36 M3; it is very common in those cars. Does the 330 use the same transmission as the old M3? Can't remember.
Anyway, it's progressive; eventually you will have that issue more and more, until it happens all the time. There is a fix for it that was covered in Roundel (IIRC). Tranny fluid doesn't seem to help when its far along, but it might delay the onset in your car.
Oh, yeah. That's a problem that I had on my E36 M3; it is very common in those cars. Does the 330 use the same transmission as the old M3? Can't remember.
Anyway, it's progressive; eventually you will have that issue more and more, until it happens all the time. There is a fix for it that was covered in Roundel (IIRC). Tranny fluid doesn't seem to help when its far along, but it might delay the onset in your car.
That's not a good problem to have. In the e36, the cure was a new transmission if it happened under warranty. There was a roundel article with a non-new transmission fix, but it wasn't easy to do.
But I think the transmissions are completely different and I have never heard of this as being an e46 problem. Hopefully it's not - I eventually got the transmission replaced b/c having an improper resting place can become a safety issue in some circumstances.
I agree that you have obtained a "lifetime" of service from your tranny fluid.
Anyway, it's progressive; eventually you will have that issue more and more, until it happens all the time.
Awesome. I can't wait. (grr)
That's not a good problem to have. In the e36, the cure was a new transmission
Oh, even better. Sweeeet.
rumatt
11-21-2005, 05:06 PM
That's not a good problem to have. In the e36, the cure was a new transmission if it happened under warranty. There was a roundel article with a non-new transmission fix, but it wasn't easy to do.
Ouch.
Did the E36 problem make itself known only when cold at first?
Yes, it started out as sticking under fifth when it was cold. It prgrossed to not having a resting spot - the handle would sort of limply fall over below fifth. Honestly, I don't ever remember this being a problem with e46s though. My transmission was replaced around 50k miles. And it doesn't really get cold here, so it must have progressed beyond the "starting point" before I noticed it. Don't kick yourself about it until it gets worse or the trans fluid swap doesn't help.
The HACK
11-21-2005, 07:41 PM
Supposedly. But I figure 75K miles is lifetime enough.
Plus, I'm noticing in the cold (noticed it last winter, too) that until the tranny warms up, the shifter doesn't center when taking it out of fifth... it just kind of hangs there, under 5th. Once it's warmed up, it behaves normally.
I have no idea whether fresh fluid will treat that problem, but I figured it couldn't hurt.
That problem is related to the return piston in the transmission, the redline oil will NOT resolve the problem.
You will need to replace the dowel and spring that presses the lever back to center to fix that.
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